


Two Burdens

by GrendelGrowls



Category: Original Work, Warframe
Genre: Angst and Romance, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Depression, Developing Relationship, Dildos, Eventual Romance, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Past Character Death, Relationsh, Romantic Friendship, Secret Relationship, Sex Toys, Stress, Stress Relief, Useless Lesbians, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26084536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrendelGrowls/pseuds/GrendelGrowls
Summary: Although filled with grief from losing so many important Syndicate Members, Palladino and Cressa Tal quickly come to realise that they find one another attractive. On impulse, they spend a night sending explicit messages to one another, using it as a chance to relax and take their minds off of the tragedy that they've each been forced to manage for multiple days on end.To Palladino, at least, this seems like a chance to date a woman that's been her biggest supporter and friend for many years.But with such a horrible event lingering in their minds, can a sudden relationship really work for them? More importantly, can they be sure that they're not just hooking up to deal with their losses and emotional struggles, especially when they're supposed to focus on rebuilding the Syndicates before their personal struggles? And how will Palladino deal with the fact that Red Veil expect their Holy Speaker to continue her bloodline, just as was promised when she took on the mantle for herself?
Relationships: Palladino/Cressa Tal
Comments: 10
Kudos: 5





	Two Burdens

**Author's Note:**

> -THIS FIC CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR 'The Chains of Harrow' QUEST, AND POSSIBLY OTHER QUESTS IN THE FUTURE-
> 
> At the indirect suggestion of a close friend, I've tried to branch out into more than just pure smut, so this is more... emotional romance with erotica elements, I suppose? Either way, hopefully it's good, because I'd love to get better and better with this stuff. There'll be a lot of emotion-focused scenes in this, and not all of them will be positive, so keep that in mind if you're looking for perfectly-warm-and-fuzzy romance.

The names kept coming.

 _Jin Parvo. Soto Bel. Kami Ghran._ These three names were only a few of the two-thousand that had been lost during last week's crisis, and the data was still coming in. Both Steel Meridian and Red Veil were getting occasional reports of operatives that hadn't come back, or details of bodies found on the remains of the ship involved. For every one that was identified, at least one remained anonymous, too battered for even the most reliable of their medical equipment. It was, to be perfectly honest, one of the most depressing things that Palladino had seen, and each new entry was making it harder and harder to keep scrolling down.

She didn't know all of them personally, of course. There were a few familiar names here and there, but the majority had been completely average and non-noteworthy members of either Syndicate. That was probably the part that upset her most: these people, especially _her own_ , were no doubt linked in some very tenuous way. Many of the dead would have been friends with each other, and some may have even been in relationships or spent their time working side by side with the expectation that they would have shared drinks when they got home.

Almost nobody came back. Her, Rook and a handful of others, most of whom died from their wounds. If the Tenno hadn't intervened at the last possible moment, nobody would have come back at all.

Sitting here, in her ramshackle room that had been hastily constructed within the Iron Wake base, the Holy Speaker felt like she had reached her lowest point. Not only had she failed to identify Rell's gradual decline, not only had she not been able to stop the situation from snowballing, but she hadn't even been able to provide herself with a happy ending. Those people were gone, Rell was one, and now she didn't know what to do with herself anymore. He had been not only their inspiration, but a kind of figurehead for them - a beacon that they could all unite around, whether he was present or not. It almost felt like she had part of herself ripped away, and it was only a matter of time before she wound need to reveal the reality of what had happened to the rest of the Syndicate. They might accept it, but a mass exodus or a sudden rise in infighting was much more likely. These could be the final days of Red Veil as a whole, and everything that they had worked so hard to create could be stripped away.

Cressa Tal was lucky. Steel Meridian had suffered a heavy blow too, but she wasn't at fault for it: her innocence was not only entirely obvious, but completely _true_ , and she had done nothing to suggest otherwise. The deaths would be a setback for her, but she would be able to rebuild in time. Palladino, on the other hand, didn't know where her Syndicate was heading or what kind of future lay in store for her.

It hurt, it really did. She was no stranger to death and violence around her, but this was different. There was nobody she could turn to this time, and Rell was no longer there to guide her forward. All she could do was check the list of casualties, fighting to hold back the sadness that swelled in her chest. Rook, to his credit, had done his best to nuzzle against her leg and comfort her, but his cute antics could only cure so much.

Reaching down to pet his head, the Holy Speaker tried to distract herself from the portable computer in front of her, giving him a quick scratch behind the ear. "I'm sorry, Rook, I know you want to play. Today has been... difficult for me. Maybe later."

The response was a sad-sounding mewl, and the Kavat pressed into her leg again, almost trying to sit on her foot. It made her chuckle, but only because of how adorable he could look - it would take much more than that to actually improve her mood. Palladino's eyes lingered on her pet for a while, not wanting to return to the morbid list in front of her, until the ping of somebody trying to access her door stirred her back to reality.

Pressing the remote lock button that she had mounted under her desk, the Red Veil Speaker straightened herself up in her chair, trying to hide all traces of how she felt. Underneath her mask, it was relatively easy, but she felt a need to make her body language as neutral as she could. As the door opened, flooding the dark space with natural light from the jungles of Earth, she had to squint through her mask to avoid searing her eyes. Rook stalked his way over to see who had arrived, with his usual air of disinterest-that-was-really-interest. It took a moment for her vision to adjust, after which she could see the unmistakable hooded shape of Cressa Tal in her doorway. "Greetings, Miss Tal. I must apologise for keeping my door locked, but reviewing recent events is a very... taxing. Did you need something?"

"We need to talk." Striding into the room and letting the door slide shut behind her, the Grineer scratched at her left shoulder and sank into the seat opposite Palladino. "About last week."

"I was hoping that the formal reports would be enough for you."

"I've read them." Gently pulling her hood down from her forehead, she let her short hair out into the open air, something that was a surprisingly rare sight for reasons that Palladino had never asked about. It sent a strange pulse through her chest, like everything had stopped for a moment, but the Speaker decided to ignore the implications of that. "I won't pretend that I know what all of it means, especially the... 'Rell' parts... but I felt like we needed to talk about what happened. In person."

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, the Holy Speaker tried to avoid eye contact: even with her mask, the Grineer always seemed to know exactly how to meet her gaze in these informal talks. "If you are hoping to blame me for it, then I... agree. I consider this tragedy _my_ responsibility."

"What? Why?"

"Rell." Saying the name again made her remember the last séance that she had been able to hold with him, the one that had inadvertently both saved Red Veil and caused the disappearance of Rell - permanently, as far as anybody knew. "As Holy Speaker, I am responsible for anything related to our... former... figurehead. I had been attempting to communicate with him, but instead of watching the signs clearly, I let my curiosity get the better of me. If I had known-"

"From your report, it sounds like you _didn't_ know, and I can't hold you accountable for that." Letting out a small sigh, Cressa leaned back in the chair a little. "I'll admit that I would _like_ to blame somebody, if I could, but this was completely out of our hands. You did what you could. That's more than most people in this damn System."

"It is more than just accountability for my physical actions, Cressa. My position requires a lot of balance and spiritual... _engagement_ , which means that Rell was talking to me specifically. If anybody could have stopped him, or at least identified the problem before he did what he did, it would have been me." Her eyes caught sight of the casualty list on her small computer again, and she quietly closed the lid, not wanting to think about it anymore. Too many had died, and she couldn't _not_ blame herself for those losses. If she had just been a little bit smarter and paid more attention to Rell, perhaps she would have been able to stop this from ever happening. It wasn't guaranteed, but maybe-

"I'm not here to argue with you, Palla, I'm just here to talk about what happened." Cressa leant forward, her gaze focused on the small device. "You have one of those lists too, huh? I'm only halfway through mine. It's... not easy, I'll be honest. Most of mine were defectors, so at least there's no, you know, families to contact. I don't think I could handle that."

"Mine do. Red Veil fully accepts family attachments, and... I do not know what to tell them. I do not want to lie, but I can't tell the truth without being honest about Rell too..."

"Look." Shuffling her chair around the table slightly and placing one hand on Palladino's shoulder, the Grineer woman put on a slightly forced smile. "What happened, happened. Take it one day at a time, you're a strong woman."

Beneath her hood, Palladino felt a tiny flutter of something. Confidence, maybe? She leant into Cressa's hand ever so slightly and smiled back, even though her face was hidden. "As are you. One of the strongest." The paused for a moment, then felt a pang of shame and slowly pulled away. "Anyway... what did you need to talk about? I thought the report had covered everything."

"It covered everything... except you. I was worried about how you felt, Palla. Steel Meridian is my life, but Red Veil is your _belief_ , and I was worried that I'd find you hanging from the ceiling after those messages came though." She let a gentle frown creep onto her face, drawing her hand back to the table. "I guess I just wanted to know you were alright, you know?"

The sudden temperature increase that seemed to push through every inch of the room forced Palladino to quiet herself for a second, giving her brain a moment to cobble together a reply. Her role in the Syndicate meant that genuine conversations like this were few and far between, and it wasn't easy for her to drop that professional face she relied on. "I... appreciate that, Cressa, that means a lot to me. I'm sure you understand how impersonal our positions can be."

Cocking her eyebrow, the Grineer's face shifted to an expression of very mild concern and confusion, her gentle smile slipping. "I don't really have that problem, myself, the defectors treat me like family. Don't you have _actual_ family in Red Veil? I think you told me about your-"

" _Did_. Not anymore."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

"It's alright." Adjusting her mask to try and let a little bit more air in - mostly to cool her down from this sudden warmth - the Holy Speaker briefly considered removing it entirely. "She... my mother, I mean... had plans in place when it came to family, but I don't think I'll be following them. It's not the... _life_ I want to lead, that's all I'll say." She was choosing her words carefully: while the pair were definitely close, there were still many things they had to learn about one another, since a bit of secrecy was almost required when dealing with other Syndicate leaders. Just because they were allies didn't guarantee that it would always be that way.

The Grineer slowly nodded, her eyes diverted into the table. "You told me about that once, a long time ago. An heir, right? Or something along those lines. I think you'd..." The way that Cressa paused seemed almost... unnatural, but Palladino couldn't quite place _why_. "...you'll make some man very happy, Palla."

Hearing that cut deep, and the Speaker knew why. The only man that she cared about making happy was Rook, and all the lazy Kavat needed was tasty food and a few ear scratches now and then for good measure. It wasn't any kind of hatred for the opposite sex, she just didn't see the appeal in having to... _lay_ with one of them to produce a child, especially not when there were so many other good candidates for the job. If anything, her horrible mistake with Rell and the deaths that it had caused were a sign that she _shouldn't_ continue this bloodline directly. Who was to say that she hadn't been marked by that... _thing_ in the void due to her actions?

"I doubt it, but... thank you, Cressa." Slumping a little further forward, she crossed her arms and used them to rest on the table, slouched over and making no attempt to straighten herself up. "I'm sure you will too, one day..."

The small gasp that came from the other woman made Palladino's eyes snap back up, and through her hood, she was able to see a slight blush forming on Cressa's cheeks. No doubt, she had sparked some memory of a man that the Steel Meridian leader was already involved with, who was probably waiting at home to make her feel like the most important person in the world. A twinge of jealousy began to bubble inside her, but she couldn't tell which of the two she would be more jealous of.

After a few moments of silence, Cressa inhaled sharply and opened her mouth to say something, only to pause and close it again. Her face looked unusually red, and for a moment, Palladino's head went rampant with thoughts about what could have caused such a reaction. While she personally had her own particular... _hopes_... in place, past experience had told her to quash them before they grew too strong and created uncomfortable situations for her.

"Should I... go? You probably have better things to do." The Grineer's voice had grown hushed, either out of sensitivity or worry.

Caught off guard by the question, Palladino considered begging her to stay, but there wasn't much more to say. She was overwhelmed with an odd mixture of feelings that were best kept inside, at least for now. Spouting them off one by one in-person would cause more problems than it would solve, and Cressa probably had somebody much more interesting at home to spend time with. They had never talked about such things - even with how close they had become, it was more of a professional connection than a social one, and it didn't look like that would change any time soon.

"That may be for the best, just for today. There is a lot in my head that needs to be sorted out... the list, et cetera."

Cressa stood up, pulling her hood back over the top of her head and re-adjusting her gear to fit comfortably again. She had arrived as her usual confident self, but something had changed about the way she conducted herself now - arms crossed in front of her chest, head down. With a polite nod, she span on her heel and stepped over Rook's lazy form, allowing the door to open up in front of her. For a moment, it looked like she was about to turn around and say something, but then she ducked out into the dim moonlight instead. 

The door slid shut, and the room was once again flush with darkness. Aside from her Kavat, Palladino was alone again. Alone with her list of the dead.

Pushing the small computer to one side, she decided that it was best to deal with it tomorrow, and quickly locked her door using the desk remote. Satisfied that she wouldn't be rudely interrupted, she set to work removing her Holy Speaker garb, hoping to have at least an hour or two of relaxation time. Even so, a stab of guilt went through her heart as she tried to push the dead out of her mind.

\---

The stress of her position, not to mention the amount of worry in her mind over recent events, had made Palladino somewhat needy. Given that she was generally unable to simply go out and get certain things because of her status, she had been forced to take matters into her own hands, in a somewhat literal manner. As her hand began to slip beneath the waistband of her underwear, the Red Veil hesitated for only a moment, unsure of whether or not this was the right thing to do.

After that moment, though, her brain decided that she wanted it more than she had expected.

Offering a few careful touches to make sure that she didn't move too quickly, she began a few careful movements, using her free hand to help move part of her underclothes out of the way. Rook had been a bother, so she had been forced to get him settled in bed first - she didn't want the Kavat jumping up at an awkward moment. With nothing to distract her, she was able to dull the last few days out of her mind and focus on herself. More specifically, focus on _pleasing_ herself.

She had never been the best at this, given that her position didn't allow for that much free time, but she knew enough. With a careful tenderness, she began to apply more pressure, using her knowledge of her own body to hit all of the spots that would sent dopamine running through her. They were simple movements, elegant ones, but they would serve their purpose. Although she couldn't fully clear her brain of negative thoughts, she managed to push them aside, letting a much more carnal set of sensations take their place.

As much as she hated to admit it, Cressa was a big part of that. There was something about the pixie-haired Grineer that hit all of her buttons _and then some_ , but it wasn't easy to put into words.

Allowing her brain to slowly de-stress as it gradually stopped having to worry about the outside world, Palladino continued to slowly bring herself closer to proper relief, experimenting with techniques that she hadn't had time to practice earlier. Precise movements, curling her fingers at certain angles... it all made a difference, and she was keen to explore her options.

At least, until her small computer buzzed, signalling a new inbox message.

Awkwardly curving her body over to grab it, the Speaker lay it on her stomach, both unwilling and partially unable to remove the hand that was currently inside her. Given that it was probably another inbox message, she went to temporarily mute the alert sound, but-

_[CressaTal: hey, are you busy?]_

A simple chat message from the Steel Meridian leader herself. By all reasonable measure, something so simple shouldn't have made Palladino's heart start to pump slightly faster, but that didn't stop it from happening anyway. With her only free hand, she tapped out a quick response, still keeping up a professional image just in case this was an important conversation. She couldn't risk making any mistakes.

_[SpeakerPalladino: Quite busy.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: You need something?]_

_[CressaTal: can we talk?]_

With a small grunt of irritation, she slowed down her pace, feeling her brain fighting with itself to focus on two different things at once.

_[SpeakerPalladino: If it's quick.]_

_[CressaTal: alright, so]_

Gritting her teeth at the very reach chance that she'd need to continue this conversation for the entire night, Palladino did nothing to slow down her finger movements, too engrossed in the way it made her feel to stop now.

_[CressaTal: i don't want to put pressure on you]_

_[CressaTal: but I need to be completely honest about something]_

As the Speaker felt her legs start to go mildly fuzzy, locking in place at a comfortable angle through sheer biological muscle memory, she allowed her brain to run wild with possibilities. The confession in question could be anything, but a small - and very, very hungry - part of her was silently wishing for it to be related to the two of them. It was a hope full of regret, but a hope nonetheless, and her current state meant that she was completely focused on how good the idea made her feel. The shame would come, but that was a problem for later on.

_[CressaTal: actually, first, I didn't get to ask this earlier, but]_

_[CressaTal: can you show me your face? you've never taken your mask off]_

Palladino was... stunned. Hadn't she? Io, that was _right_ , she _hadn't_ ever done that. It wasn't something she generally thought about anymore. The mask was part of her daily routine and something that she usually wore when speaking with others, just as Amaryn - the sanctimonious bitch that was apparently qualified to run New Loka - did with her own facial coverings. Even after she and Cressa had become somewhat closer thought their alliance, it had never really come up.

_[SpeakerPalladino: Right now?]_

_[CressaTal: if you want, no pressure]_

Sighing and swapping her device to the camera mode, she leaned back on the bed as far as she could, still providing tender care between her legs with two fingers. It only took a moment to snap a picture and send it over, making it easy to keep up the pace without killing her mood. In a way, the fact that she was holding an innocent conversation and sharing pictures while doing something so depraved only added fuel to the fire inside her.

_[SpeakerPalladino: There.]_

No response came, so she continued to work away at her own desires, slowly but surely pushing herself deeper into a state where nothing mattered but those few sensations. Really, this was all just to relax, as well as sate an appetite that didn't usually have many chances to be fulfilled. It had been a good few days since her last period of alone time, and she was taking full advantage of this chance to change that, focusing on movements and touches that made her body cry out for a just little more every time.

There was something _satisfying_ about being asked to show her face. It wasn't a taboo, nor was it really anything that out of the ordinary for most people, but having somebody show interest in her appearance wasn't that common either. The fact that it was Cressa asking made it even better, something that she was getting a perverted pleasure – and some shame - out of admitting to herself.

_[CressaTal: wow]_

_[CressaTal: you look, uh]_

_[CressaTal: very attractive]_

_[CressaTal: and sweaty]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: Sweaty?]_

_[CressaTal: you look really red and stuff.]_

_[CressaTal: oh void, did i interrupt something private?]_

_[CressaTal: sorry sorry sorry!]_

Personal pride meant that Palladino should, realistically, have just played the situation as a joke and gotten on with her night. Not only did her Syndicate responsibilities make that the preferred option, but for all she knew, Cressa was happily partnered up with some other soldier that she had spent years serving alongside. Under normal circumstances, she would have responded rationally and nudged the conversation to a later date when it was more relevant.

But she was, for lack of a better term, horny. Her brain had become overwhelmed with carnal thoughts, and now that Cressa had presented a target, she just had to land the shot. Before she could even process what she was typing, the message was sent.

_[SpeakerPalladino: You don't want to help?]_

The instant the message's caption changed from 'delivered' to 'read', a wave of both guilt and extreme depravity washed over Palladino, with the Speaker suddenly finding it much harder to keep her hand off her body. Cressa witnessing her in this state, even through a simple message, was incredibly arousing both mentally and physically. As her heart began to race faster than it already was, she rolled over to one side and reached beneath the bedframe, retrieving a small box containing something that she kept hidden from everybody who visited.

In crude terms, her dildo.

Another message ping returned just as she managed to get the artificial phallus ready, and she almost couldn't read it due to the level of erotic panic that was boiling in her head.

_[CressaTal: wait, what?]_

_[CressaTal: palla, are you asking me to]_

_[CressaTal: sext?]_

It was now, or never. With one hand on her device and the other on her 'device', the Red Veil Holy Speaker decided to take a risk that she had fantasised about countless times but never acted upon.

_[SpeakerPalladino: Please]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: I don't know if you're taken.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: Maybe you are, and I'm sorry.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: But you're incredibly attractive and I can't help myself]._

_[SpeakerPalladino: Void, I'd love to be with you right now.]_

No response came. After a few seconds of waiting, Palladino started to worry that she had overstepped the boundary between them. She didn't want to lose Cressa, but there wasn't an easy way to walk back on what she had said, especially since this had all come from a genuine place. Just as she was about to turn off the device for the night and try to ignore the ramifications of her rambling, she saw one last message pop up.

It was an image.

An image of Cressa, in bed, with most of her uniform off. Palladino could see everything she was hoping for: that muscular body, the augmentations that could move faster than any biological limb, and the perfectly-sculpted sensitive spots that were now exposed for her eyes only. To imagine somebody naked was one thing, but to see it in-person was something else entirely, and it was nourishing some kind of curious hunger inside her.

_[CressaTal: your turn]_

Heart pounding, Palladino flipped her device around and snapped another picture, making sure to leave as little to the imagination as possible. This all seemed unreal - she had experienced a few fantasies involving Cressa Tal, or at least women like her, but this was so sudden and unexpected that she didn't know quite how to react. As soon as the image had been sent on its way, her eye wandered down to the sex toy that was still firmly gripped in her hand. Seeing no reason to let it go to waste, she took a picture of that too, sending both images one after the other.

_[CressaTal: void]_

_[CressaTal: just... void]_

Flushing bright red at the implications of Cressa's reaction, Palladino decided to take things up a notch, and made all of the proper preparations for using the phallic toy. It took her mere moments to get set up, and she missed a flurry of messages that only got read once she was back in position.

_[CressaTal: okay look]_

_[CressaTal: you're really hot wow]_

_[CressaTal: i don't know how we should do this but]_

_[CressaTal: it looks like you have some ideas]_

Palladino had already begun to rub the head against her slit, letting her body adapt to the sudden change in methods she was using to pleasure it. She had many ideas, but a lot of them were fantasies that required in-person interaction, and... that would be happening soon, most likely. Then again, there was one sure-fire way to know that this would be satisfying for both of them.

_[SpeakerPalladino: My idea is to let you treat me however you want.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: I want this to be genuine.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: Show me the real you, Cressa.]_

_[CressaTal: are you saying that you're a bottom?]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: If you would like me to be, then I can be.]_

_[CressaTal: you could've just said yes]_

_[CressaTal: i'll tell you what to do then]_

_[CressaTal: get yourself ready]_

Scrolling back up the image of Cressa's nearly-nude body, she gently slowed the rubbing motions, then carefully inserted the head of the toy. Although she didn't make use of its full length, the sheer fact that the other woman had agreed to this made it all the more exciting. The lack of intimate personal contact was a shame, but it was one that her brain could get over quite quickly. Leaning against the pillow on her bed, the Speaker quickly tapped out a reply.

_[SpeakerPalladino: Ready.]_

_[CressaTal: then start. slowly.]_

With gentle movements, Palladino began to thrust the item into her body, even though her brain was screaming out for a quick release. Quiet moans continued to escape her lips just like they were earlier, but these ones felt shaky as they left her lungs. Although she could only see the picture that Cressa had sent, it was enough to provide a frame of reference, one that her mind was going wild over.

It was difficult to resist the urge to keep thrusting faster, as she normally would: by restraining herself as she had been told to, she was drawing more and more groans out, extending each wave of pleasure by fighting against her own physical desires. It was almost like teasing herself - or, more accurately, like Cressa was _getting her_ to tease herself. This continued for well over a minute, each second feeling marginally longer than the last.

_[CressaTal: how does it feel?]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: Hard to resist.]_

_[CressaTal: good]_

_[CressaTal: speed up a little and show me]_

Gradually increasing the pace of the thrusts, Palladino switched her device to the burst video setting and tried to get a recording of the movements down there, hoping that it wouldn't be too shaky. She didn't remember if audio was sent with it, but if so, Cressa would be bombarded with quiet grunts and groans. Then again, maybe that's something she would _want_ \- the Grineer's interests were still a mystery to her. Even with her arm shaking like it was, she managed to get a decent recording and send it across, then turned her attention back to the toy in her hand.

The Speaker had to clench her jaws at the frustration this was causing, but she kind of liked it. Cressa's interruptions weren't just wanted, they were actively dragging out her pleasure to make it last longer and force her to experience more desire for release.

_[CressaTal: mmm]_

_[CressaTal: good girl]_

A gasp left the Holy Speaker as her brain processed the second of the two messages, and a second, louder exclamation as she was treated to another picture of Cressa. This time, though, the Grineer had made sure to focus on the metal fingers that were currently halfway inside her body. She looked... _soaked_ , a clear sign of her own enjoyment over the situation. Her brain tried to think of a reply, but a second pair of messages followed before she could type it out.

_[CressaTal: see what you're doing to me?]_

_[CressaTal: keep going]_

Pushing her pace even further, Palladino used more of the toy with each thrust, keeping her other hand firmly around the camera buttons so that she could take a picture every so often. She had never shared herself like this before, and the thrill of being put in this position was almost palpable. All of her worries about her position, the recent situations and even Cressa's potential relationship status had begun to melt away, and in their place, there was just a desire to show off more. The idea of getting Cressa so _flustered_ and _aroused_ in this way was moreish, and she could barely restrain herself.

Within only twenty or thirty seconds, another three pictures had been sent over to the Grineer woman, each of which showed off some of Palladino's curves or the way that she was giving her body some much-needed pleasure. While she could only do so much, lying in bed with one free hand and a single toy in reach, it would hopefully be enough for her messaging partner.

This pattern continued, with every one or two pictures earning another from Cressa in turn. In many, her face was at least partially visible, showing off a hungry grin that sent shivers through the Speaker's core. In response, she would try to send one of her own, hoping that the sweating forehead and wide eyes would convey that feeling of bottom-ness that the Grineer seemed to be looking for.

Eventually, though, the pace became too much for her.

As they exchanged messages, with Cressa egging her on, Palladino lost control. Unable to fully stop herself, and backed up by the mounting need to release the tension inside her body, she eventually began to speed up of her own accord, using more force and faster movements and a greater level of-

Without warning, her mind went blank for a second, a numbness pulsing through her while her physical desires finally manifested themselves as twitching muscles and involuntarily cries of pleasure. She didn't process whether or not she needed to send another message, or even if Cressa would be annoyed at her for the early orgasm - she was too busy letting the heat and silent air wash over her as her body stopped trying to fight against her, giving in to the soft surface of her bed. Her walls tried to close on nothing and her hips jerked randomly, trying to comprehend what had just happened to them.

She was warm, she probably smelled of her own wetness, and she couldn't focus on the world around her. After a second or two of rebooting herself, she raised the small device with one weary hand, using the other to toss the slick phallus to the floor. The sight of it was making her feel filthy, and not necessarily in a good way.

_[CressaTal: are you okay]_

_[CressaTal: palla]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: I couldn't stop myself.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: Void that was good, I can't feel my legs]_

After a moment, she added a simple.

_[SpeakerPalladino: I'm so sorry about this.]_

Another message came through about half a minute later: Cressa, drenched in her own sweat and fluids, with a big dumb grin on her face. Seeing the muscular lady like this made Palladino's pulse spike for a mere second: even in this state, she looked far more confident than one would expect.

_[CressaTal: don't be, you big dork]_

_[CressaTal: that was hot]_

_[CressaTal: you're hot]_

Palladino had been called hot before. It wasn't uncommon, especially among some of the more... hormone-driven Tenno, and the fact that she hid her face allowed their imaginations to run wild. Some even possessed a _preference_ for masked women, if she had overheard them correctly. Somehow, though, this was different: it rocked through her, instead of feeling like a vague statement of arousal, and seemed to linger in her mind rather than just being filed away as a regular memory would. While that was definitely a good thing, it also made her feel out of place, like she wasn't supposed to be told things like that.

_[SpeakerPalladino: I don't know what to say...]_

_[CressaTal: that reminds me]_

_[CressaTal: i forgot to mention the thing i actually messaged you for in the first place]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: What?]_

_[CressaTal: you might already have guessed it]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: I want to know anyway]_

_[CressaTal: i haven't really made it obvious but]_

_[CressaTal: i'm gay and you're very cute]_

The Speaker had to read those words over and over again, still not accepting them at face value. It was too good to be true. The glow of her climax was fading, but very slowly, and she wasn't fully back to normal reality yet.

_[CressaTal: and i was wondering if you'd want to get drinks sometime?]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: You'd want to?]_

_[CressaTal: it doesn't have to be a date or anything]_

_[CressaTal: we've had a hell of a week and i thought it might help us]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: And it'd just be drinks?]_

_[CressaTal: whatever you're comfortable with]_

_[CressaTal: if you just want drinks, then it'll just be drinks]_

_[CressaTal: nothing else]_

A few ideas bounced around inside her mind, but she was dealing with exhaustion, general tiredness and a host of other concerns that were starting to worm their way back into her thoughts.

_[SpeakerPalladino: I can tell you tomorrow, if that's alright.]_

_[CressaTal: of course! it's late anyway_ _]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: I still don't know what to say, but thank you, Cressa. Today was... unexpected.]_

_[SpeakerPalladino: I need to sleep, it's late... goodnight, and sleep well.]_

_[CressaTal: goodnight and sweet dreams! you deserve a good, long sleep!_

Palladino was very confused, but happy. She thought she was, anyway. A lot had happened within the space of only an hour or two, and she didn't know how much it could change about her life. It wasn't the time to worry, tough - rest came first, since she couldn't ignore the responsibilities of her position. Red Veil would need her to sign off on more of that casualty list in the morning. As she turned her device off for the night, she saw one last message notification pop up, which Cressa had obviously intended for her to see when she woke up instead.

 _[CressaTal: i love you, palla_ _]_

Letting a huge grin slowly spread across her face, the Holy Speaker of Red Veil felt a warmth in her chest and a distinct calmness in her mind. She would have replied, but it felt like the perfect point to end the night on, and anything more would just spoil the moment. As she tucked herself under the covers and let the calmness of the darkened room finally push her into the sleep she desperately needed, she felt something twist inside her: a single thought barely slipped through her head, vanishing into the nothingness before it could be processed by her hibernating brain.

_Oh Void, what have I done?_


End file.
